The first time I did this I did it first try and was meh about it, then my brother decided to play FFX and he had a smurf load of trouble with it, I told him I did it first try and he offered me the pad... took me 3 tries lol of corse, he never let me play his game again lol. I actully had more trouble getting his crest the first time as I didnt go back for it right away and when I did I had my very first encounter with a Dark Aeon lol some discovery I was so supprised when he hit me for 99999 lol... lost 3 hours of play finding that little bit of info.

On a side note, I dont buy Yojimbo untill I can pay him the maximum amount of money (roughly around the same time I get to the dark Aeons), you do know the lower you buy him for the less he will use Zanmato right? this is the sole reason I do this.

Additionally I didnt have any problems with the lightning thing, failed once then paused it every time I dodged one to write it down on a piece of paper to keep count.